Towed in the Valley Library

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History of towing in the Rio Grande Valley

How towing rules in the Rio Grande Valley took shape: ordinances, contracts, court rulings and state laws, in date order. Every entry links to its source.

How to read this timeline. Entries are in date order. Most rest on a court opinion, a law or a government record. Entries marked "Not yet verified" rest on one secondary or self-reported source, and entries marked "From a news report" rest on news coverage. We leave out private people's names and accusations against companies that have no published outcome.

Early city wrecker codes (1971 to 2012)

  1. Brownsville's 1971 Code includes wrecker rules (sections 36-1 to 36-33), the start of today's chapter 110.

    Source: Brownsville Code ch. 110 editor's note (Municode)

  2. Brownsville Ordinance 92-919-E amends the City's wrecker rules.

    Source: Brownsville Code ch. 110 editor's note (Municode)

  3. Brownsville Ordinance 92-919-F amends the wrecker rules again.

    Source: Brownsville Code ch. 110 editor's note (Municode)

  4. Harlingen's 1997 Code includes vehicle towing rules (sections 118.090 to 118.119).

    Source: Harlingen Code ch. 46 art. III editor's note (eCode360)

  5. Brownsville Ordinance 2006-919-G amends the wrecker chapter.

    Source: Brownsville Code ch. 110 editor's note (Municode)

  6. Harlingen adopts Ordinances 08-35 and 08-36 on vehicle towing.

    Source: Harlingen Code ch. 46 art. III editor's note (eCode360)

  7. Brownsville Ordinance 2008-919-H amends the wrecker chapter.

    Source: Brownsville Code ch. 110 editor's note (Municode)

  8. Brownsville Ordinance 2012-919-I amends the wrecker chapter.

    Source: Brownsville Code ch. 110 editor's note (Municode)

New codes and fees across the Valley (2013 to 2026)

  1. Brownsville Ordinance 2013-919-J repeals and replaces chapter 110, including the rotation lists and the 'initial schedule' of rates.

    Source: Brownsville Code ch. 110 (Municode)

  2. Vehicles are towed from a home in Edinburg in the dispute later decided in Davila v. M & M Towing and Recovery.

    Nearby city or county

    Source: Opinion (CourtListener)

  3. Brownsville Ordinance 2019-919-K adds the $20 City administration fee and two-hour electronic records for nonconsent tows.

    Source: Brownsville Code ยงยง 110-31, 110-131 (Municode)

  4. KRGV reports people posing as parking attendants in downtown McAllen before cars were towed.

    From a news report

    Source: KRGV, Dec. 4, 2019

  5. Harlingen Ordinance 2020-19 amends the vehicle towing article.

    Source: Harlingen Code ch. 46 art. III editor's note (eCode360)

  6. The Thirteenth Court of Appeals decides Davila v. M & M Towing and Recovery: every tow is consent or nonconsent under state law.

    Nearby city or county

    Source: Opinion (CourtListener)

  7. McAllen Ordinance 2023-30 rewrites the City's wrecker article and rotation-list rates.

    Source: McAllen Code ch. 114, art. VII (eCode360)

  8. Harlingen Ordinance 2024-48 replaces the vehicle towing article; KRGV reports the tow cost rises to $300.

    Source: Harlingen Code ch. 46 art. III (eCode360); KRGV, Oct. 3, 2024

For the rates over the years, see tow and storage rates. Know a record that belongs here? Email corrections@towedhelp.org.

Texas-wide items (Texas Library)

Last checked .